Indonesia high court rejects final appeal of 2002 Bali bombers

[JURIST] The Indonesian Supreme Court has rejected the final appeal of three men sentenced to death for their roles in the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings [BBC backgrounder], an Indonesian prosecutor said Wednesday. The court's decision has not yet been formally released, but prosecutor Made Sudarmaja said Wednesday that his office has been notified of the court's decision. The three Islamic militants - Mukhlas, Amrozi, and Imam Samudra [BBC profiles] - will be given one month to seek clemency from the Indonesian president, but the three have said that they have no plans to do so. Sudarmaja said that if clemency is not requested after a month has passed, the executions will proceed "immediately."

Earlier this year, Indonesia reduced the sentences [JURIST report] of 10 other Islamic militants convicted for their roles in the 2002 and 2005 Bali bombings [BBC report]. Originally serving between eight to 18 years, six of the militants received a sentence reduction of five months, while the other four received a reduction of two months. Terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah [MIPT backgrounder; JURIST news archive] has been blamed for both Bali bombings. Reuters has more.

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